JUNIUS,
June, the sixth Month of the Year, wherein the Sun enters the Sign Can∣cer, which makes the Summer Solstice. This Word comes from the Latin Junius, which some derive à Junone, as Ovid in the 5th of his Fast, introduces this Goddess, saying,
Junius a nostro nomine nomen habet.
Others take the Etymology of this word a Junioribus from young people.
Junius-est Juvenum. Ovid.
And some others from Junius Brutus who ex∣pelled the King of Rome, and settled the go∣vernment upon the people. This month was under the protection of Mercury.
The first day of the month they solemni∣zed four feasts, one dedicated to Mars out of the City, because upon the like day, F Quintius Duumvir of the Sacrifices had dedica∣ted a Temple to him out of the gate Capena on the via Appia, by the title of Mars Extra-Muranus. The other feast was kept in ho∣nor of Carna, in remembrance of the Tem∣ple that Junius Brutus consecrated to him up∣on mount Celius, after he had driven away Tarquinius. The common opinion was that this Divinity presided over the heart of chil∣dren, and inclined them which way she plea∣sed. They offerd Pap, Bacon, and Beans to her in Sacrifice.
The third feast was celebrated in honor of Juno Moneta, to perform the vow that Ca∣millus had made, to build her a Temple.
The fourth feast was solemnized in honor of Tempest, and instituted in the time of the second Punick war.
The fourth, or the day before the Nones, the feast of Bellona was kept, whereof I have spoken under the word Bellona. This same day a feast was celebrated in honor of Hercu∣les, and the Senate dedicated him a Temple in the Circus by Sylla's Order, who gave state∣ly entertainments to the people, and present∣ed Hercules with the tenth part of his wealth.
The 5th, or the day of the Nones, they offered a sacrifice to God Fidius, to whom the Romans built a Temple on mount Quirinal, after the peace was concluded with the Sa∣bins; and they honoured this God, because the oaths taken in his name were invio∣lably kept.
Upon the 7th day happened the Fishermens Feast, which was solemnized in the field of Mars with games, mirth and banquetting.
The 8th, or the 6th day of the Ides, a so∣lemn sacrifice was offered to the Goddess Mens in the Capitol, to whom Attilius Crassus vowed a Temple after the defeat of the Consul C. Flaminins at the lake of Trasimenes, praying her to remove out of the mind of the Romans the fear occasioned by the rout of the Consul.
The 9th, or the 5th of the Ides, was kept the great feast of the Goddess Vesta, whereof I shall speak in its place.
The 11th, or 3d of the Ides, was solemnized the feast of the Goddess Matuta, which shall be mentioned afterwards.
Upon the Ides of June fell out the feasts of Jupiter sirnamed Invictus or Invincible, to whom Augustus dedicated a Temple for the victories he had obtained. And this same day was kept the feast of Minerva called Quinquatrus minores the Fiddlers feasts, mentioned in this book according to its order.
The 19th a sacrifice was offered to Pallas on mount Aventinus. The 20th, another was of∣fered to Summanus, to whom a Temple was dedicated upon such a day during the war of Pyrrhus. The 22d was reckoned a fatal day, because that day F. Flaminius was overcome by the Carthagimans. The 23 Syphax was vanquished by Masinissa, and the same day was called Dies Fortis Fortunae, because King Servius dedicated her a Temple out of the City be∣yond Tiber, where Workmen and Slaves crowned with flowers went by water to di∣vert themselves and be merry, as inhabitants of great Cities commonly do upon holy days.
The 27th was the feast of the Lares or houshold Gods'. The 28th the feast of Quirinus was celebrated on the mount of the same name, and the 30th the feast of Hercules and the Mu∣ses were kept in a Temple dedicated to them both.